Monarch Butterfly
Come and marvel at the spectacle of the monarch butterfly migration in our sanctuaries. Immerse yourself in the beauty and wonder of millions of butterflies that fill the sky and forests with their vibrant colors. A unique experience not to be missed!
HABITAT
The monarch butterfly mainly inhabits North America, with groups east of the Rocky Mountains migrating to the forests of Mexico.
On the other hand, colonies on the Pacific coast remain in the same place throughout the year or migrate to southern California during the winter.
In their natural habitat, these butterflies depend on the milkweed plant, commonly known as “milkweed”, where they lay their eggs, as it is the only plant that the caterpillars consume at hatching.
This plant provides the butterflies with an effective natural defense against predators, making them toxic or at least tasteless.
Adult butterflies feed on the nectar of other flowers.
Despite these adaptations, monarch butterflies are not exempt from predators.
Ants, spiders and wasps feed on their eggs, while two birds, the black-headed grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) and the black-backed siskin (Icterus abeillei), find these butterflies delicious.
MONARCH CYCLE
1. After mating, the female butterfly deposits her eggs on the underside of milkweed plants.
Each butterfly can lay up to 400 eggs, thus concluding its life cycle.
Incubation takes 4 to 8 days before hatching.
2.
Las orugas, al salir de los huevos, se alimentan inicialmente de la cáscara y del algodoncillo.
Después de unas dos semanas, cada oruga teje su crisálida, que queda suspendida de la planta.
3.
La fase de crisálida o pupa dura de 8 a 15 días.
Durante este tiempo, la oruga experimenta una metamorfosis asombrosa hasta convertirse en mariposa.
Al final, la crisálida se vuelve transparente, revelando la estructura de la futura mariposa.
4.
La mariposa sale de la crisálida.
Aquellas que no migran tienen una vida de 3 a 6 semanas, mientras que la migratoria, llamada generación Matusalén, vive entre 8 y 9 meses.
Durante este tiempo, alcanzan la madurez sexual y se reproducen.
